This is a very good condition Union army frock coat for a major. By sheer numbers of officers, the coat of a field grade officer is ten times rarer than a line officer in an infantry regiment, with thirty captains and lieutenants and only three field officers, and many times rarer than that in the case of an officer serving on a staff. In any case, field grade officers served on the battle lines and were instantly recognizable by their double-breasted coats with the buttons evenly spaced down the front, and even more conspicuous by serving mounted, frequently even in action.

The coat is in very good condition, showing some wear, but only a few small moth nips on the back of the left shoulder. The collar is a roll-over style that is non-regulation, but seen in period photographs and undoubtedly more comfortable than a standing collar, even if velvet lined. One button is missing on the wearer’s lower right. The others are in place, as are the three small buttons on each cuff and the four coat size buttons on the rear at waist and tails.

The interior is very good as well. There are no tears or threadbare spots and the seams appear good with no gaps between the body and sleeve linings. The latter are plain white, a nice period sign. The body is lined in a black silk oxidizing to green as is usually the case. The skirts are unhemmed, as is correct. There is an interior pocket on the wearer’s left breast and no pockets in the tails. The cuffs are functional.

The original bullion embroidered shoulder straps are in place and show some natural wear on the high points with a few loose threads and a couple of small spots where the alternating dead and bright bullion strands have been pushed apart exposing the underlay or a strand is missing. This is expected on a coat actually worn in the field where the straps are most likely to suffer wear or snags. The jaceron wire borders along the inside and outer edge are in place and show nice gold color. The borders and oak leaves have oxidized to a silver gray, but the oak leaves show some faint gilt in recesses, clearly marking the wearer as a major. The ground of the straps is a very dark blue, almost black in some lighting, but not unquestionably so. The use of staff buttons would push us towards an officer on a staff, but we have seen field officers at the regimental level occasionally wearing general staff buttons and blue straps varying from a very light blue all the way to color like this, so we think the jury is still out on that point. Needless to say, it could also be both, since a regimental officer might well find himself temporarily given a staff assignment.

This is very good condition, all original coat that both shows some field use and displays nicely. Needless to say, an officer’s sash, sword belt and M1850 Staff and Field officer’s sword make excellent additions.  [sr] [ph:m/L]

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